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Saturday, August 31, 2013

VOA Radiogram Program 24 this weekend, 30 August and 1
September 2013, will be rather complex.

Most VOA Radiogram listeners have had success using the RSID
(Reed Solomon Identification) to automatically change modes. The RSID is the
brief signal that occurs at the beginning of digital mode transmissions. One
exception to this success is the RSID for MFSK64, which is not decoded on some
listeners' software.

In an attempt to improve RSID performance, I have produced
this weekend's VOA Radiogram using Fldigi 3.21.74AB. If you download, install,
and use this "alpha" version of Fldigi from http://www.w1hkj.com/alpha/fldigi/v3.21/,
we may have better luck with the RSIDs.

Please keep your previous version of Fldigi, at least for
now, in case 3.21.74AB does not work well on your PC.

If you can't, or prefer not to, install 3.21.74AB, I will
provide time for you to switch manually to MFSK64 and MFSK128.

In addition to the RSID experiments, VOA Radiogram will also
transmit sample text in Vietnamese and Russian. Vietnamese has all sorts of
diacritics, and Russian uses a Cyrillic alphabet, so this will be a real
workout. You will need to use the UTF-8 character set. In Fldigi, UTF-8 can be
selected in a menu located somewhere in Configure > Colors & Fonts,
depending on your version.

This weekend's VOA Radiogram will also contain two
transmissions in Flmsg format. The first will be a VOA News story similar to
those transmitted during past weekends. The second will be a Base64-encoded VOA
logo transmitted in MFSK128. Because of the speed of MFSK128, I'm expecting a
fairly high failure rate. Worth a try, though.

Please close and restart Fldigi between VOA Radiogram
broadcasts this weekend. This is because letters with accents often do not
display correctly, i.e. UTF-8 no longer works, after an Flmsg item is received.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, 30 August/September 1
2013:

2:55 MFSK16: Program preview

3:10 MFSK32: Vietnamese and Russian text
samples

2:58 MFSK32: Discussion of RSIDs

1:50 MFSK64/Flmsg: VOA News re dung beetles*

:56 MFSK32: Image of dung beetle

3:07 MFSK128/Flmsg/Base64: VOA blue logo*

2:16 MFSK64: VOA News re China hack attack

2:38 MFSK32: VOA Khmer radio photo contest

2:31 MFSK32: Image of submitted radio photo

1:10 MFSK16: Closing announcements

:15 Surprise mode of the week

*To make Flmsg work with Fldigi, in Fldigi: Configure >
Misc > NBEMS, under Reception of flmsg files, check both boxes, and under
that indicate where your Flmsg.exe file is located.

Wandering Sheep Productions is a new evangelistic outreach of HCJB Global NZ, established to share the gospel over the Internet. The Wandering Sheep Radio Network offers HCJB ministry partners from around the world the opportunity to simulcast their radio station programs to the global Internet audience. HCJB Australia will be one of the partners whose broadcasts you will be able to hear.

GraazTV is designed for people aged 18-35. It is designed to look like a secular Internet TV network while gently leading people to an opening up to the Holy Spirit and accepting Christ. You can find out more at www.wanderingsheep.net.
(HCJB/Voice & Hands/Sept 2013)

In HCJB’s Melbourne office one of Shelley Martin’s roles is replying to letters and emails received from listeners. Victor Goonetilleke, from Colombo, Sri Lanka, is one who regularly writes to us. So it was quite
a surprise when Victor contacted Shelley to say he was in Melbourne and wished to visit the studios.

Victor is a retired school teacher and an avid ham radio operator (call sign 4S7VK). He has been listening to HCJB since 1969. In his spare time he monitors shortwave broadcasts to his part of the world and regularly sends reception reports to Voice of America, BBC, Vatican Radio and Radio Veritas. He also acts
as Frequency Consultant for local shortwave station SLBC (Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation).

There are many AM and FM stations in Sri Lanka but people like listening to shortwave stations to hear unrestricted news and information. Victor estimates between five and 10 percent of the population of 21 million would listen to shortwave broadcasts.

Victor is a Christian and believes in the value of hearing the gospel via radio. He said, “How to live the Christian life is important: listeners want to know how the gospel relates to real life”. Occasionally
he has the opportunity to speak at his church and draws on what he has heard from HCJB and other Christian stations.
(HCJB/Voice & Hands/Sept 2013)

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The island of Cyprus is a scenic, rugged island located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, just 60 miles off the Middle East coastline and 40 miles south of Turkey. The island itself is just 130 miles across and 75 miles wide. It is home to a little more than a million people, with Nicosia as the island capital. The name Cyprus is derived from the old Latin word cuprium, in recognition of their ancient copper mines.The earliest settlements go way back to the very earliest Middle Eastern times; and the first Greek settlers migrated onto the island around 1200 BC. According to their ancient legends, Cyprus was the birthplace of Aphrodite, or Venus as she was known by the Latins; and early Christianity was introduced to the island in the year 45 AD by the traveling missionaries, St. Paul & St. Barnabas. In the year 1489, the Cypriot Queen Catherine Cornaro sold the island to the merchant city of Venice in Italy.During the era of British colonialism, Cyprus was absorbed into the Empire in 1878, though it was not declared a Crown Colony until the year 1925. England granted independence to Cyprus in 1960, though by treaty several sovereign bases were retained for the usage of their armed forces. Turkey took over the northern part of the island in 1974. Along with several other financially struggling European nations last year, Cyprus requested a financial bailout of E17Bn (17 Billion Euros). It was in 1872 that the Eastern Telegraph Company opened an undersea cable service linking the island to Europe, and thus the rest of the world. On the wireless scene, the famous Marconi announced in 1911 the installation of a massive high powered longwave station on Cyprus as a link in the Imperial Wireless Scheme, connecting England with its colonies all the way from the Motherland to Australia and New Zealand, though this entire project was never implemented. On the radio scene, the colonial government first issued amateur radio licenses in 1925, though this was for receivers only, not for transmitters. Then in the early 1930s, the British established a navy communication station on the island, and the probable location was in what became the Episkopi Sovereign Base, some 10 miles west of the regional capital, Limassol. In more recent time, it is known that the Episkopi Radio Station was located specifically at Akrotiri almost adjacent to, and a little southwest of, the powerful BBC Mediumwave Station at Lady’s Mile.In 1959, as the WRTVHB states, a broadcast unit was on the air at the British communication station at Episkopi with a daily service in English from 1200 - 1530 UTC on 7130 kHz at ½ kW. A service in Arabic was also in the planning syage. It was probable that this new shortwave service in the Middle East, temporary and experimental, was intended to grow into a larger facility akin to the earlier Radio Sharq al Adna. This new radio service, under the title Radio Independent Transmitting Unit ITU, was on the air apparently for no more than a few months, and the entire project was seemingly transferred to the island of Malta. Interestingly, this same shortwave radio station at Akrotiri in Cyprus was on the air with another broadcast service, dubbed as the infamous Lincolnshire Poacher. This powerful shortwave station was on the air 11 times daily, beginning on the hour from 1200 UTC through 2200 UTC, and there were always three channels in parallel in the USB, Upper Side Band mode.This clandestine station was titled the Lincolnshire Poacher because its introductory music two bars long was taken from the well known English folk song melody with the same name. This station transmitted coded messages to distant spies, with the usage of a one time only numbers pad. The numbers were read by an electronically produced woman’s voice with the presentation of exactly 200 groups of five figure numbers on each occasion.International radio monitors back at that era tell us that this Lincolnshire Poacher signed on somewhere around the mid 1970s. The last known broadcast from the Lincolnshire Poacher, operated it is said by the British Intelligence Agency MI6, was on June 29, 2008. The communication callsign for this station was MKE. We go back to the 1930s and we find that another radio communication station was established in Limassol itself. This was a temporary facility established in 1932 and it was replaced by a permanent station at Larnaca under the callsign ZFE. Station ZFE was taken into service on February 5, 1934 for ship-to-shore communication and for international communication whenever the cable service was interrupted.Then 17 years later, an updated communication station was constructed, with the transmitter base at Saranta Spilia and the receiver base at Kolokoshi. This new Cyprus Radio, with callsigns 5BA, 5BC & 5BG, was officially inaugurated on May 7, 1951.For occasional special broadcasts, Cyprus Radio was in use for the relay of programming to and from the BBC in London. For example, on August 19, 1956, Cyprus Radio carried a relay from the BBC London on behalf of BFBS Radio on Cyprus. After a couple of weeks, we plan to present the next feature item in the radio scene on the island of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean.
(AWR Wavescan/NWS 235 via Adrian Peterson)

Solar activity was at very low to low levels during the period. The period began at low levels which persisted through 23 August. The majority of the C-class flare events were from Regions 1818 (S07, L=214, class/area Dhc/340 on 13 August), 1820 (S12, L=177, class/area Dai/130 on 21 August), and 1828 (N16, L=089, class/area Cao/60 on 20 August). The largest flare of the period was a C4/Sf which occurred at 22/0506 UTC from Region 1820. Moderate growth was observed in Region 1820 from 19-21 August and in Regions 1830 and 1831 on 22 and 23 August, respectively. By 25 August, the majority of the spotted regions had either decayed to plage or rotated around the western limb. Solar activity was at very low levels on 24 and 25 August. A 51-degree filament eruption centered near S47E24 erupted between 20/0400 UTC and 20/0829 UTC. An associated coronal mass ejection (CME) with an approximate speed of 681 km/s, first seen in SOHO/LASCO C2 imagery beginning at 20/0824 UTC, was observed with the majority of the ejecta off the SW limb.

A small enhancement in the greater than 10 MeV proton flux at geosynchronous orbit was observed beginning at approximately 20/2300 UTC, reached a maximum of 2 pfu at 21/1330, and returned to background levels around 21/2100 UTC. The enhancement was likely associated with backsided CME activity.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate levels on 22 August. High levels were observed the rest of the period due to a combination of coronal hole high speed stream
(CH HSS) and CME effects.

Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. The period began with mostly quiet conditions on 19 and 20 August. By late on 20 August, the total field component (Bt) increased from 4 nT to 11 nT while the Bz component went south to -10 nT. A corresponding increase in solar wind speed and density was observed at 20/2135 UTC indicating a weak shock arrival from the 18 Aug CME associated with an M1 flare. Subsequently, a geomagnetic sudden impulse (26 nT) was observed on the Boulder magnetometer at 20/2231 UTC. Solar wind speed continued to increase from 380 km/s to near 550 km/s from 21 to 22 August with the total field between 3 and 10 nT while the Bz component varied between +7 nT and -6 nT as a positive polarity CH HSS became geoeffective. Solar wind conditions persisted through mid-day on 23 August reaching a maximum of 610 km/s at 22/0712 UTC. The geomagnetic field responded with unsettled to active levels on 21 August while quiet to active levels were observed on 22 and 23 August. Another weak shock passage (3 nT deviation in total field) was observed at 23/2355 UTC due to the arrival of a glancing blow from the 20 August CME. No significant geomagnetic effects were observed with the shock passage. The geomagnetic field was mostly quiet on 24 and 25 August.

Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 26 August - 21 September 2013

Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. A chance for an M-class flare exists with the return of old Region 1817 (S21, L=241) from 02-15 September.

No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.

The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be normal to moderate levels with high levels expected on 27-29 August, 02-07 September, 12-16 September, and again on 9-21 September due to activity associated with recurrent CH HSSs.

Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be mostly quiet with the exception of quiet to unsettled levels on 26-27 August and 05 September due to CH HSS activity. Unsettled to active levels are expected on 31 August - 02 September, 10-14 September, and again on 17-19 September due to recurrent CH HSS activity.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The following announcement,is everything I presently have on Voice of Russia's close down on shortwave. As I receive more, I will post it here first.Gayle Van HornMOSCOW, August 21 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian government’s international radio broadcasting service Golos Rossii (Voice of Russia) will stop its shortwave broadcasts from January 1 next year, the Digit.ru online journal reported Wednesday.The shortwave service is closing “due to funding cuts,” Voice of Russia deputy director Natalya Zhmai said in a letter dated August 15 to Andrei Romanchenko, head of the Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network (RTRBN), the journal said.Voice of Russia, established in 1929, currently uses RTRBN transmitters to broadcast to foreign countries using short and medium waves. After the shortwave service goes off the air, only three low-power medium wave transmitters will be used to broadcast to other countries, an industry source told Digit.ru.The radio will mostly use FM band transmitters based abroad, the source said.At the beginning of the year, Voice of Russia cut the total volume of shortwave broadcasts to 26 hours a day from more than 50 hours in 2012.(via Alan Roe, Teddington, UK/Balkan DX)

5980v, Emisora Chaná, Tacuarembó (Cf.
DX-Window # 485) was heard back on Aug 09 by DXer Paulero, in Buenos Aires. I
immediately called by telephone to the station owner, Mr. Omar Lima, CX6OL, who
confirms that the station has been again on the air since 15 days ago, and is now
running 24hours, with 30 W, (nominal 50W) in AM. Antenna is very low (4 meters above ground), but he plans to raise it to 15 m height. They
currently operate 24 hours. No printed or e-QSL right now, but he has already
answered via e-mail to emisorachanatacuarembo@hotmail.com . (Nigro in
DXplorer). Please do not mix it with R Chaski, Peru on 5980.02 which is heard
in Europe and North America! (Ed)

(DX Window 486)

Comments on the Uruguayan shortwave scene from last week's DX Window, including mention of

Emisora Chaná in the Department of Tacuarembó.

URUGUAY

The current scene for Shortwave broadcasting in Uruguay
is still painful, as it has been for most of its history.

Monitoring
indicate that there are no active stations at the present time.

The
unofficial 5900v Emisora Chaná, from Tacuarembó disappeared several months ago,
after the closure of the FM Community station that was its main enterprise. As a
matter of fact it was one of thirteen communitarian low power stations that were
closed in that department in late 2012, by telcom authorities.

The shortwave outlets for Radiodifusión Nacional del Uruguay (the National Broadcaster which
is next to abandon its historic denomination of SODRE) have been inactive for a
long time. The last was CXA4 on 6125, but after they exhausted their stock of
tubes, even the ones donated by its own officials, they have dropped broadcasts.
The current transmitters, built by the technicians, use 4 "813" tubes each.
Technically any valve can be adjusted similar to the 813, 4/400, 4/1000, 3/500Z,
etc... There are even fairly cheap Russian or Chinese in the market. The problem
is that for a regime of continuous service that set of 4 tubes lasts only for
about six months. A project for a solid state transmitter has been considered,
but it has no funding to build it.

R Sport 890 / R Sarandi in 6045, keeps
the transmitter under the same parameters. The problem is currently in the
antenna and they expect the tower man "Any time to undergo into repair," said
the technical manager, to our request.

Both Universo 6055 (CWA148,
Castillos) and La Voz de Artigas, CXA3 on 6075 (heard last summer), remain
irregular and have not been monitored in the region lately.

6155 Banda
Oriental, dormant for years, certainly does not operate this channel due to high
power consumption bill that means to their owners along with its MW. It is
certainly not easy the economic situation for these stations. Similarly occurs
for 6010/9650 Em. Ciudad de Montevideo.

Oriental on 11735 and 9595 Monte
Carlo, directly said, should not hold any interest at the time, and since the
end of their broadcasts many years ago, despite they keep being listed in the
WRTH for they still keep these transmitters in their sites, though
muted.

In conclusion, the only one that could be reactivated soon appears
to be 6045 Sport 890/Sarandí. (Nigro in DXplorer)

Monday, August 19, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - History buffs and scholars in Hong Kong and Taiwan are snapping up copies of a new VOA book focused on taboo subjects that have long been banned in Communist China.

The book, based on a popular Voice of America Mandarin-language television segment called History's Mysteries, includes politically sensitive material about the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the early days of the Communist Party, and the late Zhao Ziyang, the former Party Secretary who was placed under house arrest in 1989.

"Due to heavy censorship, many people in Mainland China are unaware of these topics, or only know the official versions of them provided by the government," said Robert Su Li, the producer and host of History's Mysteries. "Our job is to tell them the truth."

The book, titled National Secrets, went on sale in July, just in time for the Hong Kong Book Fair, and is now in its second printing.

"Our generation has suffered great pain and we've paid a huge price, but the way mainlanders forget is very scary. I felt an urgent need to record history," VOA China Branch Chief Sasha Gong told the South China Morning Post, which profiled the book.

History's Mysteries debuted in June 2012 and its episodes have been viewed more than 1.1 million times on YouTube and the VOA Chinese website. Both websites are blocked in China, but are accessible to Chinese audiences via proxy servers and other circumvention technology.

National Secrets is the first in a planned series of books featuring scripts from History's Mysteries and potentially other VOA shows as well.
(VOA/Kyle King)

Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
:Issued: 2013 Aug 19 0357 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 12 - 18 August 2013
Solar activity was moderate. The week began at moderate levels with Region 1817 (S21, L=241 class/area Ekc/260 on 15 Aug) producing an M1/Sn event at 12/1041 UTC. Activity was at low levels from 13 - 16 Aug with the largest event being a C4 at 14/0031 UTC from Region 1809 (N13, L=339). A Type II radio sweep (est. speed 1019 km/s) was observed on 15 Aug associated with a C2/Sf at 15/2216 UTC from Region 1817. There was an associated coronal mass ejection (CME) but it was determined to be directed well south of the ecliptic plane. Acitivty increased to moderate levels on 17 Aug with a pair of M flares from Region 1818 (S07, L=216 class/area Dki/330 on 16 Aug).

The first event was an impulsive M3/2b at 17/1824 UTC with associated weak, multi-frequency radio emissions. Immediately following the M3, Region 1818 produced an M1 x-ray event at 17/1933 UTC, again associated with weak, multi-frequency radio emissions including a 150 sfu Tenflare, a Type II radio sweep (est. speed 1399 km/s) observed in the lower spectral range and a broader spectral range Type IV radio sweep. An associated partial-halo CME was observed off the southwest limb and is expected to be a glancing blow at Earth on 21 Aug.
The greater than 10 MeV proton flux at geosynchronous orbit was slightly elevated following the M-flare activity on 17 Aug but remained well below alert threshold.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at normal to moderate levels from 12 - 15 Aug followed by an increase to moderate to high levels from 16 - 18 Aug due to effects from a coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS).
Geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels to begin the period on 12 Aug. Activity increased to unsettled to active conditions on 13 Aug due to the onset of a geo effective CH HSS. Although the CH HSS was still apparent on 14 Aug, quiet to unsettled conditions were predominate. A return to unsettled to active conditions returned on 15 - 16 Aug due to continued CH HSS effects, with an isolated minor storm period observed during the 0300 - 0600 UTC synoptic period due to nighttime sub-storming. Mostly quiet conditions were observed on 17 - 18 Aug as CH HSS effects subsided.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 19 August - 14 September 2013
Solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a chance for M-class activity from 19 - 21 Aug, mainly from Region 1818. Predominately low levels are expected from 22 Aug until the return of Regions 1817 and 1818 around 02 Sep, at which time the chance for M-class activity will return for the remainder of the period.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate to high levels from 19 - 28 Aug due to CH HSS effects. A decrease to normal to moderate levels is expected from 29 Aug - 02 Sep as CH HSS effects subside followed by an increase to moderate to high levels from 03 - 08 Sep due to the effects of another CH HSS. Normal to moderate levels are expected from 09 - 12 Sep. Moderate to high levels are expected to prevail for the remainder of the period following the arrival of another recurrent CH HSS.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be quiet to unsettled from 19 Aug until late 20 Aug followed by unsettled to active conditions as a recurrent, equatorial, positive CH HSS moves into a geoeffective position. Unsettled to active conditions with a slight chance for isolated minor storm periods are expected on 21 Aug due to continued CH HSS effects coupled with possible CME effects from the 17 Aug event. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on 22 Aug as CH HSS and CME effects wane. Predominately quiet conditions are expected from 23 - 30 Aug. A second CH HSS is expected to become geoeffective on 31 Aug, bringing activity up to quiet to unsettled levels until 02 Sep. Quiet conditions are expected to return 03 - 04 Sep followed by another small CH HSS that is expected to generate some isolated unsettled periods from 05 - 06 Sep. Quiet to active levels with a chance for isolated minor storm periods are expected for the remainder of the period due to the arrival of another recurrent CH HSS with a history of more intense geomagnetic effects.

On this occasion here in Wavescan, we salute All India Radio on the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of their first shortwave network. It was back in the year 1938, that four new shortwave transmitters were installed at key locations nearby to four major cities in India: Bombay, Delhi, Madras & Calcutta.

During the previous year 1937, a new shortwave transmitter, made by Philips in Holland model KVFH and rated at 10 - 12 kW, was installed and co-sited with the 1½ year old mediumwave unit VUD on Mall Road in Delhi. At the time, the Delhi radio studios were located in a bungalow on Alipur Road.

Apparently this new shortwave transmitter in Delhi was accorded demonstration status, and thus three more were installed during the following year 1938, one in each of the other three major cities.

The first of these new 1938 10 kW transmitters, Philips KVFH, was inaugurated in Bombay as VUB2 on February 4. This new shortwave unit was co-sited with their eleven year old mediumwave transmitter VUB at Malad, an outer suburban area between the airport and the ocean. At the time, the Bombay studios were located on Queens Road.

The second new 10 kW shortwave transmitter for the year 1938 was installed at Avadi in suburban Madras with the studios at Mylapore, a suburb that is associated with the history of St. Thomas of ancient Bible times. Both the mediumwave unit VUM at ¼ kW and the shortwave VUM2 were inaugurated on the same day, June 16.

The third of these new 10 kW shortwave stations was installed in Calcutta with the eleven year old mediumwave station VUC. Shortwave VUC2 was taken into service on August 16.

It should also be mentioned that an additional 5 kW shortwave transmitter was installed at Delhi and this was inaugurated on June 1.

Each of the four transmitters in this new shortwave network relayed the programming from its parent mediumwave station, and each was intended to increase the service area beyond the regular coverage of the mediumwave unit.

However, these shortwave transmitters also enabled the major radio stations of All India Radio to take a relay of important programming from each other. The first of these mutual inter-city relays by shortwave took place between Delhi & Bombay early in the New Year 1939, on January 18, though the procedure was soon expanded to encompass programming from other stations throughout India also.

That early shortwave network in India was established exactly 75 years ago. Since then, Bombay has become Mumbai, Madras has become Chennai, Calcutta has become Kolkata, and program distribution is by satellite.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

4835, NT VL8A (Alice Springs), 2109. Tune-in to SIO 444 as Aussie DJ has several photo chat's about local events in and around Adelaide and next weekend's sports previews. Call on local weather in Alice Springs and this week's forecast. Nice chat to 2118 about upcoming antique auction next weekend, Audible on // 2485 kHz VL8K (Katherine) though not as clear as 4835. No sign of 2385 kHz Tennant Creek. Aussie fanfare instrumental to additional local phone calls about the weather and additional local events.(Van Horn/GT Australia)

India

7445, All India Radio/External Service. Indian vocals with sitar to signal fades at 1938. No sign of // 9445 or 9550. AIR noted on 7550 to Europe for *1945. Hindi service text // 11670 (SIO 434). Indian/Hindi pop vocals with tambura accompaniment as signal fades at 1957 down to an SIO of 232 at 1958. (Van Horn).

11620, All India Radio/External Service, 2203 to Pacific. English world and national news // 11740 (SIO 333) // 11670eu. ID break between world news at 2205 and continued news on conflicts in Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Russia and China. Soccer info/scores. Editorial Egypt Blood Bath to "overseas service of All India Radio. Destination India feature on beach holidays. Additional IDs, sitar music and "Bangalore" reference to location. Sign-off at 2229 (Van Horn)

Indonesia

17650, AWR Asia/Pacific 2332. Saturday evening broadcast that included religious choral music and contemporary Christian vocals. Station ID at 2335 to religious text and station address and website. Praise music and text as signal fades by 2345 (Van Horn).

12080, VOIRI, 2003. Arabic phone conversation to 2005. Arabic musical vocals to 2007 // 9320 poor 232 SIO. Announcer duo's chat to program features with intros. News script and items included about.Egypt. Monitored at 2015 English on 9400eu, // 11750af, and 11880af. Program segments on historical facts about Iran between musical interludes // 9400 best. Items on national economy to 2010, Pakistan trade relations to 2024. Station ID/frequency quote to musical melody. Station address to piano melody to 2029, without national anthem (Van Horn).

North Korea

9650, Voice of Korea 2132, Japanese service // 11865as. Musical intros of Japanese vocals and instrumental martial arrangements. Chinese service at 2135 on 9445 with vocals and // 9875 (Van Horn).

Spain

9660, REE 2138. On-going English conversation about Spain's cricket and rugby teams. Listener's letter from London to promo for upcoming music. Announcer's good bye to listeners, followed by Bonnie Raitt's song Ain't Gonna Let You. (Van Horn)

Turgi, Switzerland, August 8, 2013. All India Radio (AIR), India’s National
Broadcaster and the premier Public Service Broadcaster of the subcontinent, has
ordered two 100 kW shortwave transmitters from Ampegon. The new systems will
replace existing analogue transmitters with four tubes by modern
analogue/digital transmitters having single tube and hence a much better overall
efficiency. The transmitters will operate with the new Ampegon control system to
optimize DRM performance, an important factor in the growing Indian DRM
market.

All India Radio has selected Ampegon as supplier because of the expertise
and the reliability of their transmitters well known since decades. AIR is
already using many different Ampegon AM/DRM radio transmitters which have been
delivered between 1983 and 2012.

The transmitters will be manufactured in Turgi, Switzerland. Factory tests
together with AIR engineers are planned for January and shipment for February
2014. Thereafter AIR will install the transmitters at a site near New Delhi.
Commissioning together with an Ampegon engineer will start in August 2014. The
new transmitters are expected to be on air in October 2014.

They will be partially used for DRM digital broadcasting and partially for
analogue transmission. Furthermore AIR has plans to upgrade 36 of the existing
AM mediumwave and 4 of the existing AM shortwave transmitters for DRM digital
broadcasting.

AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 146 dialects. AIR operates
244 FM transmitters for coverage of 29.4% surface area and 41.6% of the
population. AIR also operates mediumwave transmitters which cover 92% surface
area and 99% of the population. Further AIR operates 48 shortwave transmitters.
21 of them are 500 kW or 250 kW shortwave transmitters and are used for external
international services. 27 of them are 50 or 100 kW shortwave transmitters and
are used for local services and for coverage of neighboring countries.

21 August
Look for Rich, KE1B and Ann, W6NN to be active as 9H3MMM and 9H3NN, respectively, from the island of Gozo (EU-023, MIA MM-004, WLOTA 0046) from 21-16 August 2013. Operation will be holiday style on 40-10m (including WARC), CW/SSB/RTTY, using 100W and Buddipole antenna system. QSL via home calls. All logs will be uploaded to LoTW and eQSL after the DXpedition (late August 2013). Online log search for both calls will be hosted by Clublog. Website: www.qrz.com/db/9H3MMM [NG3K]

22 August
Tomas, VK2CCC, plans a spare time activation of Lord Howe Island (OC-004, WWFF VKFF-295) between 22-29 September 2013. Activity will be limited to only 160 and 80 metres. QSL LoTW, bureau, direct to VK2CCC. Website: www.qrz.com/db/VK9LL [DX World]

The SYLRA (Scandinavian Young Ladies Radio Amateurs) 10 year anniversary
meeting will take place in Roskilde, Denmark, 22nd August till 25th August
2013. Special station OZ6SYL will be active during the meeting on all bands
and modes. Further info at: oz.sylra.is/

23 August
Hans, ON6ZK, will be active holiday style as SV5/ON6ZK/p from the island of Kos (EU-001, GIOTA DKS-043, MIA MGD-016, WLOTA 1730) from 23-30 August, 2013. QRV on 20 metre SSB (14170 kHz) and CW (14050 kHz) using FT857 at 50 Watts to a fishstick pole as a 1/4 vertical from the hotel balcony. QSL preferred via the bureau, direct with SASE. [NG3K]

Friday, August 16, 2013

In addition to monitoring the current situation in Egypt via shortwave (see the Egypt in Turmoil blog post below), you can also get information via local stations that also broadcast on the Internet. Currently there are 29 stations broadcasting from/to Egypt via the Receiva website. You can monitor these station via an Internet radio (such as a Logitech Squeezebox like we use here in Btown) or via using your PC via the link below.

Deaths reported as thousands of Morsi supporters march in Egypt's 'Fridad of anger'

At least 37 are dead and dozens more injured after thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters stormed the streets of Cairo Friday-- some chanting “down with military rule!”—in another day of protests over the removal of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.
Reuters reported as many as 50 deaths across the country, according to security sources. Twenty-four members of the Egyptian police force have been killed since late Thursday night
across the country, a security official told Reuters Friday, bringing the number of police killed in political violence to 67 since Wednesday.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/08/16/deaths-reported-as-thousands-of-morsi-supporters-march-in-egypt/?test=latestnews#ixzz2c9ebpp00

Another Day of Rage
www.drudgereport.com

Egypt Risk Meltdown
The latest massacres have suppressed hopes of unity and will encourage radicalism.

By Shashank Joshi7:55PM BST 15 Aug 2013
Last month’s coup by the Egyptian army was supposed to have saved Egypt. The deposition of President Mohammed Morsi was, it was argued, the only way that the country could be saved from a vortex of political polarisation, repression and violence. US Secretary of State John Kerry – speaking, ironically, from Islamabad, the spiritual home of the popular coup – took this line, insisting that the army was “in effect, restoring democracy” and preventing a “descent into chaos”.
Additional story at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

recent monitoring
11890, R Cairo, Abis, *2115-2125. The usual program in English to Western Europe had a strong carrier, 5545x, but with no audio. (Petersen). Apparently English Service heard at 2229-2245*, but talk was so muddled it was almost impossible to understand language. Music came through okay. Close down at 2244 with anthem sounding tune. Poor signal. (Rich D'Angelo, PA/DX Window)

15345, (targeted to Africa) Radio Cairo, 1710- Presumed to be this station. Should be English service to 1800 UTC. Dreadful over modulation on audio amid Arabic vocals and text and between several stations. Time tones at 1800. Station also heard 1715 on 17840 in Swahili and Urdu on 15735 at 1728. (Van Horn)

Bolivia
3310 Radio Mosoj Chaski. Buzzing carrier already on at 0855 but think it was there as early as 0815. Start of broadcast at 0901:40 with rooster crowing at least three times, then male announcer with full ID over instrumental Andean music. National anthem to additional station ID and website ending with mentions of radio. High static noise ruined nice reception (Dave Valko, PA/Cumbre DX)

6024.97 Radio Patria Nueva (presumed). First noticed the carrier in the display at 2220. Was totally in the clear as the Chinese wasn't on. Very slowly improving. Sounded like bits of music at times after about 2330. Definite deep-voiced male announcer at 2349:50. Music at 2357:10. 6020 Voice of Vietnam came on at 2358:20 and blasted it out, then 6030 appeared less than a minute later. (Valko)

Ecuador
11920, HCJB LV de los Andes. 0002. Tune-in to Portuguese religious sermon, No sign of their Cofan service on 6020. Monitored to 0012 with lady announcer's reference to shortwave service and station ID. Program preview to pastor's prayer. Contemporary Christian vocals into program segment in Portuguese. SINPO 44444. (Van Horn)

Oman
15140, Oman, Radio Sultanate of Oman (presumed), 2043-2135. Tune in to female's Arabic music vocals with chorus. Arabic text trade-off from male/female duo at 2051-2057. Fanfare melody, announcement to 2059. Big Ben style chimes 2100. Station ID format into news headlines, followed by a piano fanfare intro to lady's program segment. Additional programming included brief program features, Arabic vocal and instrumental music. Emotional radio drama to signal fade out at 2135. Oman is scheduled to sign-off at 2200 (Van Horn).

Pakistan
15265, Radio Pakistan 1859. Instrumental music to national anthem and sign-off. Nice strong signal. One of the strongest signals ever heard. Heard around 1750 earlier but weak. (Valko)

Peru
4809.993, Radio Logos, 1030-1045. Using USB mode and notch to get a clear signal, noted this station in steady music program. Did not or could not hear any comments between the music selections. Signal was poor with interference (Chuck Bolland, FL/Cumbre DX)

5024.91 Radio Quillabamba. Another rarely heard one in the clear!! Rebelde at 0016 found off and this in very weakly with definite Peruvian campo music to male announcer. Canned announcement at 0018 to flute poking through nicely. Canned announcement to pleasant haunting campo music. Still playing music with nice flutes at 0039:00. Presumed Rebeldes at 0047-0048-carrier was going on/off. Quillabamba clear at 0049 again thankfully. Rebelde back on at 0051, then off. End of lady announcer and canned item to laser effect shooting SFX, and back to nice Andean flute music (0104:00 record). 0105:30. Extended talk by live studio lady announcer. Mentions of Peru. (Valko)

11915, BSKSA/Qu'ran Service with recitations at 2301. Signal cut off, leaving the air at 2302:18 with //11820 remaining at 2302:30. Excellent signal on both frequencies (Valko)

Solomon Islands
5019.88 SIBC 1030. Close of English speech with mentions of tourism. Live studio with lady announcer and brief outro, then ad for South Pacific Oil Industries. Additional ad with mentions of "P.O. Box 1160, Honiara" address. Announcer again with mentions of program and local "10 o'clock" time. Country and Western music, followed by an island song. (Valko)

The Story of the World’s 1st Wireless Reports from a War ZoneFor the first time in the history of electrical communication, wireless was used for the transmission of war news from the fighting areas to newspaper offices in Europe & the United States. The year was 1904, and this is what happened.
Back towards the end of the year 1903, it so happened that the wireless experimenter Lee de Forest was in Ireland and he was presenting test demonstrations of his wireless equipment to interested observers at a location near the city of Dublin. War was in the offing over in the Far East, belligerent countries were making preparation, and newspapers were preparing to give good coverage.The London Times contracted with Captain Lionel James to go to the Far East as a news reporter, and Captain James contracted with Lee de Forest to set up two wireless stations, one on land and another aboard ship. Two of Lee de Forest’s employees in his New York office were given 24 hours to get ready to travel to the Far East. A total of 4 tons of wireless equipment was quickly assembled and additional equipment was brought in to New York by a wireless operator from England. On January 17, 1904, Mr. H. J. Brown now in his 30s, and 21 year old H. E. Ahearn, together with all of their assembled wireless equipment, left New York by train for Vancouver in British Colombia, Canada. At this western Canadian seaport, they boarded the ship “Empress of Japan”, owned and operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway Co, and bound for the western Pacific.The wireless party arrived in Yokohama Japan on February 9, and they immediately boarded another seagoing vessel, the “Empress of China”, operated by Canadian Pacific Steamships and bound for Shanghai on the edge of China. Here they took over a Chinese coastal vessel, the “Haimun” and loaded all of their equipment aboard for the journey north to the disputed waters.On board the good ship “Haimun” and while it was traveling northwards, one set of wireless equipment was installed for usage, together with two wireless masts, one American Oregon pine and the other Chinese bamboo. However, both masts were felled in the rough seas, and so the Oregon pine mast at 75 feet was tied to one of the ship’s masts.In due course, the “Haimun” arrived at an isolated British colony, known in those days as Wei Hai Wei, which was located on the island of Liao Kung Tun. Here it was that the 21 year old radio operator, H. E. Ahearn was offloaded together with the other set of wireless equipment which he installed on a cliff overlooking the ocean. He erected the 180 ft bamboo wireless mast on top of the 350 ft high cliff.It took Ahearn 3 weeks to get the station ready for service, with electric power from their own kerosene engine. The location was just 1½ miles from a nearby cable station, operated by the Eastern Extension Telegraph & Cable Co.
In the meantime, the ship “Haimun”left the area, and steamed towards the area of conflict between Russia and Japan.On March 15, 1904, war correspondent Lionel James sent his first new dispatch from the “Haimun” and this was tapped out in standard Morse Code by the operator H. J. Brown. This message was picked up by Ahearn in his little hut at the land based wireless station and transcribed into regular English. A Chinese messenger took the written message to the nearby cable station and in less than quarter of an hour this war report was again tapped out in Morse Code and this time it was sent out over the long wire & cable systems to distant England & America for publication in the London Times and the New York Times. This then, was the first wireless message from a news correspondent in a war zone.The content of this historic first wireless message from a war corespondent told of the Japanese landing at Chi-nam-Pho on the Korean peninsula when 25,000 troops and 10,000 horses went ashore. Three weeks later, the Russian navy vessel “Bayan” arrested the movement of the “Haimun” wireless ship and they sent a raiding party aboard the small Chinese steamer. One of the personnel on board the “Haimun” was a Japanese censor who vetted every word sent out in Morse Code from this wireless equipped news vessel. In order to protect his life, Lionel James had him quickly disguised as a Malay pilot at the helm of this ship.However, both the Russians and the Japanese ordered the “Haimun” out of the war zone and so the ship steamed back to Wei Hai Wei where they picked up wireless operator Ahearn and his equipment and then they moved off to Nagasaki in Japan where the ship was discharged from service. During his six weeks of war reporting service, Lionel James sent out a total of 10,000 words in his daily wireless dispatches from the “Haimun”.As a postlude, the ship “Haimun” went back to service in Chinese waters; Lionel James stayed in the Far East and continued in service as a land based war reporter; and the two wireless operators H. E. Ahearn & H. J. Brown returned to the United States, where they were hailed as heroes back from the dangers in the environs of the war zone.

This week on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, a summer replay of the 2011 Hawaiian New Year's Eve show. Danny Carvalho, Ledward Kaapana, Jeff Peterson and Jake Shimabukuro play "Hi'ilawe," Heather Masse sings "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" and Erica Rhodes joins the Royal Academy of Radio Actors. In Lake Wobegon, the Tolleruds and the Hansens fight over a good deed after a freezer malfunction.

Broadcast times:
In Europe: Sun 1100 BST / 1200 CEST

Asia Calling
Saturday 17th August: Asia Calling

Asia Calling is a weekly current affairs programme produced in Jakarta by Indonesia’s only independent radio network KBR68H.

In the programme this week: Rising Buddhist extremism in Myanmar; Rohingya asylum seekers' endless limbo in Thailand; a Malaysian couple charged with sedition over a Facebook photo; and students turning Kathmandu into an open gallery.

Broadcast times:

In Europe: Sat 1500 BST / 1600 CEST

In North America: Sat 1100 EDT / 0800 PDT

In Africa & the Middle East: Sat 0600 UTC / 0800 CAT

In Asia & the Pacific: Sat 0600 UTC / 1600 AEST

Radio Guangdong
Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th August: Radio Guangdong

Radio Guangdong, established in October 1949, is a leading radio group in south China. Radio Guangdong programmes cover political, economic, social and cultural issues; programmes about Guangdong, programmes about Guangdong people and programmes linking Guangdong with the world.

In the programme this week: The Qixi Festival, a romantic celebration where the mythical cowherd and weaver girl figures meet on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, and a stunning tightrope walk high above the Pearl River between the Canton Tower and Haixinsha Stadium. Then In My Guangdong, Ms. Anne Luwema, Guangzhou Consul General of The Netherlands reveals the increasingly close links between The Netherlands and Guangdong.

Radio New Zealand International
Saturday 17th August: Radio New Zealand International Dateline Pacific

RNZI is New Zealand's only shortwave station, broadcasting to the Island nations of the Pacific. Its broadcasts range from Papua New Guinea in the west across to French Polynesia in the east, covering all South Pacific countries in between.

Fresh Air Weekend with Terry Gross, the Peabody Award-winning magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programmes.

In the program this week: Bob Odenkirk reflects on playing Breaking Bad's most comedic character; Maureen Corrigan reviews a debut novel about a literary young man in Brooklyn; and Lake Bell and Fred Melamed discuss the draw of voice-over work.

Broadcast times:

In Europe: Sat 1100 BST / 1200 CEST

In Africa and the Middle East: Sun 1300 UTC / 1500 CAT

In Asia and the Pacific: Sun 1300 UTC / Sun 2300 AEST

Ways to listen:

WRN's English language services and your favourite programmes can be heard all around the world. To find out how to tune in, visit the ways to listen section on our website.

WRN via the Internet:

The WRN website hosts an extensive range of on-demand programming and you can also listen to WRN’s live streams 24/7. In addition, the WRN website provides schedule and ways to listen information as well as details about our partner broadcasters including links to their websites.

You can also follow us on Twitter for the latest English networks news and developments.
(WRN)

Gary Vance: A few days ago, while scanning the medium wave band, I noticed "Funny
1410" Grand Rapids had changed into "The Touch." They're playing pretty
decent R&B and Soul Music. They must have made the switch Monday August
6, 2013.

A lot of changes going on in the old medium wave band. Also WMJH - AM
810 - Grand Rapids, MI "Super Hits 810" is Playing Oldies Music instead
of a regional Mexican format. From what little I found online, the
format change is connected to the format change on WOAP Owosso. This
change is recent. It looks like a one for one radio station trade.

In
regards to the 1410 frequency, I found the following
information online.

By Terry DeBoer grentertainment@mlive.comOn
August 02, 2013 at 6:00 PM, updated August 02, 2013 at 6:25 PM After less
than two years in an all-comedy format, local radio station WNWZ-AM 1410 is
now getting "The Touch." On Monday theTownsquare Media-owned radio outlet
begins airing The Touch satellite network, spinning a mix of "Today's
R&B and 'ol-school' style music artists. "The Touch" will bring "R&B, old
school" music to local radio station.

On April 2012, Birach sold WMJH
along with Owosso, Michigan station WOAP to Cano's Broadcasting, pending FCC
approval. On July 2013, the station changed its format to oldies calling
itself "Super Hits 810."

Birach Broadcasting is selling regional Mexican
formatted WMJH AM 810 Rockford/Grand Rapids and Oldies WOAP AM 1080 Owosso
for $1.1 million to Cano's Broadcasting, pending FCC approval and closing.
Cano's Broadcasting has been operating WMJH under a time brokerage
agreement for a number of years. Both WMJH and WOAP are daytime-only
stations.

From their facebook page.Super Hits 810, playing your
favorites from the late 50's through the 80's! From West Michigan to East
Michigan and world wide, 24x7, 364!We are SUPER HITS 8-1-0h!
(MARE # 743 via Harold Frodge)

A test on WDEV 550 Waterbury, Vermont is
scheduled for 12:03AM Eastern Friday night (Saturday morning). The test is
only three minutes long and will consist of a few bits of morse code and mainly
sweep tones. The test will be done on WDEV's night power and
pattern.

WDEV is an affiliate of Red Sox baseball, with a game scheduled
for this Friday night. if the game goes long for extra innings or
because of a rain delay, the DX test will be automatically rescheduled
for Friday August 30th (Saturday) at the same time.

MIAMI- Jorge Luis
García-Pérez, a human rights activist some have called
"Cuba's Nelson Mandela," visited the Martís on August
13 to express his gratitude for the reliable and accurate news coverage the
Miami broadcaster provides. García-Pérez, who is also known as Antúnez, is well
known across Cuba for his peaceful protest of the Castro government. He was a
political prisoner from 1990 to 2007.

"In the 17 years that I
spent behind bars, Radio Martí was, at times, my 'everything'. It was my
lifeline," Antúnez told the assembled staff and journalists. "I would listen to
it on a small radio that was smuggled into my cell."

During his visit, Antúnez
met with Office of Cuba Broadcasting Director Carlos García-Pérez and made guest
appearances on Radio Martí's daily newscast as well as the daily magazine show
Cuba al Dia (Cuba Daily). During his interview with Thomas Cardoso, Antúnez
raised the issue of an "institutional racial divide" in Cuba, emphasizing that
the majority of inmates inside Cuban jails are black because, he says, the Cuban
government targets people of color.

Antúnez was arrested during
a nonviolent demonstration in 1990. Today Antúnez heads one of the largest
opposition groups on the island, "Frente Civico de la Resistencia Orlando Zapata
Tamayo," (TheCivicResistance Front
of OrlandoZapataTamayo). Since his
release in 2007 Antúnez has lived under intense government surveillance and has
been harassed and beaten by government agents.